Effects of duration of treatment and dosage of eicosapentaenoic acid and stearidonic acid on red blood cell eicosapentaenoic acid content

Krul, E.S.; Lemke, S.L.; Mukherjea, R.; Taylor, M.L.; Goldstein, D.A.; Su, H.; Liu, P.; Lawless, A.; Harris, W.S.; Maki, K.C.

doi:10.1016/j.plefa.2011.10.005

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Volume 86, Issue 1 , Pages 51-59, January 2012

Effects of duration of treatment and dosage of eicosapentaenoic acid and stearidonic acid on red blood cell eicosapentaenoic acid content☆

E.S. Krul
- Solae LLC, 4300 Duncan Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 314 659 3284; fax: +1 314 659 5284.
S.L. Lemke
- Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO, USA
R. Mukherjea
- Solae LLC, 4300 Duncan Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
M.L. Taylor
- Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO, USA
D.A. Goldstein
- Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO, USA
H. Su
- Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO, USA
P. Liu
- Solae LLC, 4300 Duncan Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
A. Lawless
- Provident Clinical Research/Biofortis North America, Glen Ellyn, IL, USA
W.S. Harris
- Sanford Research/USD, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
K.C. Maki
- Provident Clinical Research/Biofortis North America, Glen Ellyn, IL, USA

Received 9 August 2011; received in revised form 11 October 2011; accepted 13 October 2011. published online 07 November 2011.

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this randomized, controlled, parallel group study was to characterize the relationships between dosages of stearidonic acid (SDA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and incorporation of EPA into red blood cell (RBC) membranes over time.

Methods

Healthy subjects (n=131) received capsules with placebo (safflower oil), SDA (0.43, 1.3, 2.6, or 5.2g/d) or EPA (0.44, 1.3, or 2.7g/d) for 12 weeks. RBC fatty acids were analyzed biweekly.

Results

RBC %EPA increased in all EPA and SDA groups (p<0.02 vs. control) except the 0.43g/d SDA group (p=0.187). For theoretical intakes of EPA of 0.25, 0.5, and 0.89g/d, the amounts of SDA needed to achieve equivalent RBC EPA enrichment were 0.61, 1.89, and 5.32g/d (conversion efficiencies of 41%, 26%, and 17%), respectively.